


There Is Beauty In The Darkest Parts Of My Uncertainty

by mia_liz



Category: Justified
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-23 02:29:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6101767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mia_liz/pseuds/mia_liz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>Oh he is so getting fired, he’s not Raylan, and he will not get away with this.</em><br/> </p><p>He doesn’t even understand how it started, he remembers clearly before and after but not the moment they became them, together. </p><p>(Takes place between season 4 and 5)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I spent my life trying to answer to the voice inside my head

Disclaimer: I would nothing, if I did I would never have let in end and the show would have had more Tim ☺

 

 

_It was a mistake. Shit! such a bad idea._

 

He turns slightly to stare at the back of Raylan’s head, bobbing in Art’s office nodding along to whatever Art was saying. Using it as point of focus for the panic attack which been brewing all morning and was starting to take full affect.

 

_He was not this person. Get it together Gutterson._

 

He started with his newest collection of silent affirmations, which were simply the names of the women Raylan shouldn’t have slept with.

 

The chant in his head was oddly comforting and somewhat longer than Tim had originally expected.

 

Ignoring the panic was no longer a good decision, he had to do something, go find a distraction.

 

The list in his head started to scatter in exchange for just thoughts of Cassie St. Cyr, it has surprised him at first when their relationship had began.

 

_It felt right._

 

He started to think about their conversation over breakfast this morning, nothing particularly special to remember just chatter about their plans for the day, every so often she would touch him, a hand running along him cheek, a gentle pat on his arm, both sitting so closely to each other their knees knocking against each other as he pinched a piece of toast off her plate… kissing her… pulling her off her chair drawing her close, sitting in his lap, laughing as they removed the little clothing they had thrown on upon waking…

 

_Fuck someone is talking to him._

 

Shifting his eyes just in time for Vasquez to drop a file in front of him, then turning to leave. Only catching the end of Vasquez’s monologue Tim understands it’s the case file for the shooting of Colton Rhodes, which according to the post-it affixed to the front is now being reviewed tomorrow.

 

_Fuck._

 

Opening the file re-familiarising himself with the words that he had written months ago, everything factual but unsettling due to the truths that had been left out.

 

_Mark… Cass…_

 

Closing his eyes to focus fully on the passing thought, _oh_ he is so getting fired, he’s not Raylan, and he will not get away with this.

 

He doesn’t even understand how it started, he remembers clearly before and after but not the moment they became them, together.

 

They kept running into each other, Cassie had moved to Jackson, were she was teaching at a Sunday school, talking about getting her certificate so she could go teach children during the week.

 

She was happy, _she made him happy._

 

It had happened a few times, so they started to embraced fate, chatting over coffee and over priced muffins.

 

They started to meet on purpose.

 

Maybe it had been the power of suggestion that kick started Tim’s interest.

 

_Yes maybe if it came to it he could blame Art. Putting ideas in his head._

 

Early on in their ‘friendship’ She had been walking the halls outside the marshals office, passing the glass three times before Tim’s curiosity got the best of him, leaving his chair to investigate and was greeted with a smile once he was close enough to call her name.

 

She was only there to support a member of Billy’s congregation whom was having legal issues and had gotten lost while trying to find the courtroom they had been assigned.

The look on Cassie’s face told Tim everything he needed to know about the situation, she was only there because she had been asked and felt obligated.

 

When pressed later in private she had said that the children were being moved into their grandmothers home, _‘they shouldn’t have to wait, to feel loved or safe, it’s either there or it’s not’_.

 

Sitting next to each other side by side in the hallway, their hands placed by their sides so close to each other they were almost touching, he can only just control his urge to take her hand in his to offer comfort only knowing from the hints she had given him of the horror of her childhood. It had been the first time he had wanted to kiss her.

 

_What do you need?_

 

The moment is broken by Art sticking his head out of the office doors with a nod towards Cassie “ma’am”,

 

He paused with a chuckle like he was scolding a child “you should have left for Tramble over and hour ago, they called asking where you were, go on a get to it! If you don’t leave in the next five minutes I'll send Raylan to go with you”

 

“Because that turn out so well last time” Tim had bitten back with a smile, standing to indicate he was going to do what he was told.

 

“Well until next time” Cassie stood with him squeezing his shoulder and smiling but her eyes still watery as she walked away.

_Stay, it will be ok._

 

Later in the evening when he had gotten back from his prisoner transport, still thinking about how sad she looked when he left, he spies Art and Raylan left toasting themselves in Art’s office.

 

Tim is welcomed into the space with enthusiasm that indicated that it was definitely not their first nor their second drink of the evening.

As Art passes him a glass he smiles a Tim, the one which tells Tim that the next thing coming out of his mouth was going to be some ‘fatherly’ advice.

 

“So how is Miss St.Cyr Tim? She well?”

 

Tim shrugs his shoulders as he sits next to a glassy eyed Raylan “she fine, good, living in Jackson now”

 

He can feel Raylan smirking at Art in response “You know Tim there is nothing wrong with a little flirtin’ ” bumping his shoulder with Tim’s to emphasize his tone of brotherly teasing. “You’re still young; go make some mistakes”

 

Art interrupts Raylan with excitement “Hell I think we are all excited that your putting yourself out there, it’s be a while since you had yourself a girl and Raylan’s right nothing wrong with flirting with a pretty lady, but Tim, _Tim_ are you listening to me” Art’s face changes along with his tone “it’s very important that the only thing you do with Miss St.Cyr is flirt”

 

Art moves from his seat behind his desk to the chair position next to Tim’s side of the couch “Tim, she is the only credible witness to Rhodes shootin’ and they will be questioning her during the investigation and you will be up shit creek if it is decided she isn’t a credible witness, if you know what I mean”

 

Art glances over at Raylan who is practically snoring on his side of the couch, he turns back and puts his hand on Tim shoulder, the same one Cassie had squeezed only hours before.

 

“It wouldn’t go the same way it did with all that Raylan, Ava and Boyd Crowder bull shit, you know that they’re looking to make an example of someone” gesturing at Raylan “this shit here has pissed them all off too much” shaking his head Art refills Tim’s glass.

 

“Yeah Tim, just don’t fuck her” Raylan commented with a smile but shifting uncomfortably from the mention of Boyd and Ava.

 

“Alright drink up, we all need to call it a night and get some sleep” Art says cutting off the conversation before Tim goes into defensive mode.

 

_Goddamit._

 

The memory of the night shifts away as all of a sudden his breakfast turns quickly in his stomach all he can do it lunge for the closest wastebasket.

 

With all of the offices eyes on him he slides down beside his desk leaning on the filing cabinet with the bin sitting on him lap, unsure he was finished with it.

 

Rachel the first by his side, standing over him using the tone of voice she only ever uses for either Tim or he nephew Nick “my god Tim, please tell me you didn’t have breakfast at that place on Walis St again”

 

“Are you dying Tim?” Raylan taunts Tim from Art’s doorway.

 

“There’s a bug going round at my daughter’s school, could you have picked it up?” Nelson pipes in with way too much information.

 

_Shut up Nelson._

 

All now waiting for a response, he stays silent worrying that if he opens his mouth he’s going to say the wrong thing.

 

_Is he lying to them?_

 

“Yeah maybe” Tim finally answers to no one in particular, himself maybe, picking himself up still clutching his makeshift bucket.

 

“Son, go home. Rachel you can go serve Tim’s subpoena to Mr Peterson, clearly Tim really doesn’t feel like doing that today” Art announces to disperse the group watching Tim with a concern “can you drive?”

 

“Sure boss, I’m sure it’s nothing” no quite able to make eyes contact with him as the guilt eats at him.

 

_It was a direct order solider. You failed him._

 

 

Later while sitting on his deck looking out on the street lights, glowing in the warm night and flickering sporadically Tim decides he can’t keep pondering the situation he needs to have a plan. Maybe he should just bite the bullet tell Art, prepare a plan in Vasquez, or just email his resignation, got get Cassie start that cult in Mexico he thinks of… they do have the tent and chairs.

 

_They need to have plan, a real plan._

 

Looking at his watch knowing she won’t be coming around for a few hours yet.

 

_Art was right, it wont be the same. Raylan doesn’t have the history._

 

He knew Cassie understood that they had to keep it private, how she might have to lie, depending on the questions they ask her. He surprised himself of how much he told her about what happened in the army, the breakdown that lead to his discharge, the work he did to become a marshal, _Hell_ how much it took just for them to let him be near firearms again. Everything Art did to help him.

 

_You are disappointing him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did do a little research on a believable area for Cassie to relocate herself, but I've never been to America let alone Kentucky (I'm all the way in Sydney Australia) so if you are a local or know the area and I'm getting it completely wrong please let me know, I only know what google maps and Wikipedia tell me.
> 
> I did not do research on marshal procedure or any laws, that's all my own bull shit.
> 
> I fucking hate myself, seriously why do I always find ships that only I'm interested in (seriously if you know of any!!!! Tim/Cassie fic please tell me about it, I can't be the only one writing it)
> 
> So during a rewatch of season four I have completely fallen in love with the idea of these two getting together (and I normally sit on the Tim is extremely gay side of the fence, so this has taken me by surprise) but then who am I kidding Tim is totally Justified's Bicycle. 
> 
> Go on review it, you know you want to.


	2. All I Found Were Empty Questions...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I definitely wrote myself in a hole in the first character, I was just so keen on writing this I didn't plan as much as I should have. So for everyone who struggled through it, thank you for reading (and coming back for chapter two!).
> 
> I have done the proper planning and this is now a planned out story (yay!). With that said i always welcome suggestions/hints/wish lists.

From the front balcony of his home sitting on a worn cane chair, Tim watches a familiar towncar pull into his driveway. Tim recognises this particular car due to it is still sporting a few holes from its last trip down to Harlan County.

Pausing after getting out of the car just to make eye contact with Tim, Raylan announces himself “Why haven’t you just told them?”

Making a face Tim response “tell, whom what?” 

He’s not falling for that old trick Raylan.

“Ok fine, you want to do this, ‘Tim you need to tell Art that you are sleeping with Miss St. Cyr’ and you needed to do it yesterday” 

Raylan clearly exasperated that Tim was making the same mistake he himself had and wanting the young man not to end up like him. 

Alone and always in shit.

The silence of Tim’s lack of reply pulses through the space, after a beat Raylan approaches the house. Sighing as he sits on the steps beside Tim, “Jesus I thought you would at least try a deny it, just for like the first minute or two. Damnit, how deep in this are you?”

Taking a drink from the beer he had been nursing “what make you think I’m sleeping with Cassie, Raylan?”

“There it is!” Raylan victoriously leans back breathing in almost like he was preparing himself for a war of words 

“Well Tim, there are many factors in my deduction, it may have been the fact every time I spot Miss St. Cyr at the courthouse not minutes later you are there by her side, standing ridiculously close may I add or maybe it’s the combination of you being the only one in the office that refers to her by her first name and your clearly getting laid somewhere, you’re fucking glowing” 

Pausing for effect Raylan really looks at Tim for the first time he has arrived, he had expected him to look sickly from his display in the office this morning but instead he is looking at the healthiest version of Tim Gutterson he has ever seen. The dark bags under his eyes gone, replaced with happier eyes and that look of having skipped a few meals slowly disappearing.

“Or I may have called by the other night, to check if you were ok after that incident in Vancleve.” 

Tim turns sharply facing Raylan, feeling exposed, ambushed. 

Remembering the night very clearly.

“I knocked you didn’t answer but I did hear noises so like the good friend I am, I just looked through the front window, just to check you weren’t in any sort of trouble” 

Raylan changes his tone for a more playful pattern hoping to diffuse the situation as it could very easily end it Raylan losing a few teeth.

“Honest to god Tim the shock of my life, I was happy to have never witnessed you participating in…” Instead of finishing the sentence Raylan just waves his hands, starting to feel uncomfortable with the fatherly role he has taken in the conversation.

“…I mean you didn’t even close the blinds properly and if that wasn’t the icing on the cake”

Breaking at this point Raylan can barely keep the smile of his face, loosing the seriousness of the situation by starting to chuckle.

“I knew the blonde you were with! I mean damn after the shocked died down I was kinda proud of you. It’s not easy to get a lady to do those kinds of things let alone one whom spent her life traveling around preaching the word of god”  
Tim was thankful of the dusk lighting because he was sure he was blushing,

Fucking god what it wrong with him.

“Well son, are you going to say anything?” Raylan says as he looks around the porch in hope of extra beer, in the end taking Tim’s, sipping it slowly testing the waters of Tim’s reaction to his surprise attack.

“What did you want me to say?” 

Finally turning to face Raylan, Tim clearly in panic mode and not sure how to handle this new territory, the roles normally reversed, 

“You seem to know enough of my business”

‘Tim I’m not trying to pry, if this was a different situation I would be buying you drinks of the congratulatory nature and you know I’ve been were your standing and it can go very badly. Have you spoken with her? Do you have a plan? Does she know not to tell the review board about your relationship?” 

Raylan knocks the now empty beer bottle against Tim’s knee to regain his attention “Tim this is serious, if they decide that the shooting is suspect you will get suspended, if they decided that the shooting wasn’t provoked like you said- we’re talking jail time, Boyd didn’t die when I shot him, Colt died! Tim, am I getting through to you at all?”

Tim stood quickly fighting the urge to punch Raylan “you said what you came to say, you should go” looking down at him Tim sighs “I’m not a fucking idiot Raylan, of course I know I need to do something”

He starts to pace along the deck, wishing he had something stronger than beer in the house 

“I thought about talking to Art, but what’s that going to do other than giving him purpose to yell and its too late to see Vasquez, they pushed up the review ‘simple and routine’ were words David used when he was explaining it”

 

His hands had started to shake a little when he hears the familiar squeak of his backdoor opening and closing, looking towards the noise, then to Raylan hoping he missed the indication they were no longer alone. Knowing the conversation needed to wrap up, he turns to Raylan.

“Fuck! What do you think I should do? You’re here in my front yard demanding answers, well hit me with it Raylan, share the fucking wisdom!”

“I ain’t got nothing for you Tim, I wish I had the answer for you but I don’t. I’m here for you, I’ll lie for you, but I haven’t got a solution for you. But I can tell you one thing – things go smoother when you have people on your team… talk to Art, I’ll go with you, be your back up”

Raylan stands, looking past Tim knowingly “I’ll let you get to your evening” walking down the steps he came “oh and Tim?”

“Yeah Raylan”

“Good for you, when this is all over, make the most of it” Raylan get back in his car and drives away.  
Only after watching the car turn the corner off the street does Tim turn to go inside, breathing in deeply before walking through the door to greet his visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise 'present day' Cassie will feature soon, locking down her character is hard! I've been re-watching her episodes like crazy trying the get a feel for it.
> 
> I also felt as if the conversation with Raylan had a really nice beginning and end and it felt right ending the chapter on this note.
> 
> Oh and I will be addressing the whole 'strict christian lady having unmarried sex thing' very soon.
> 
> More coming very soon...


	3. A Time That I Forget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little different. As I have (finally!) moved away from Tim's POV and now, in this part have sections with Cassie, Art and a (very) small appearance from Raylan. I was originally going to seperate them into their own chapters but that would make them very small - and am I the only one who finds that irritating.
> 
> If I could go back I would interweave Tim and Cassie's sections. Cassie's first section is intended to fall between chapters 1 and 2 and then her second section after chapter 2, I hope that is self explanatory when read.
> 
> I did work really hard, but of course the minute I press publish I will find at least 5 mistakes.

 

 

 

 

 

_Earlier that day._

 

Cassie

 

Looking at him she knew he hadn’t changed, his eyes still cold, cutting right through like he knew every secret, every lie, every little fib you every told.

 

Her mother had once said it was why he was such a good preacher, his eye’s boring down into your soul. You just had to confess.

 

But for Cassie, it was just of his sign of evil, it was his truth.

He hadn’t seen her yet, it was only a matter of time, that’s why they were here.

 

Looking.

 

After Billy had died she knew that she should have moved on. That they would come. Billy was the only reason they had let her be this long, he had been protecting her, but now she had nothing.

 

Tim, she knew would try but can you protect someone from the unknown, you can try but it always seems to catch up on you.

 

So here she sits in the back row of Courtroom B listening to people testifying, once again he will get off, he has brain washed everyone around him into thinking that there is nothing wrong with what he did… what he does.

 

Feeling her stomach turn one too many times, she stands to leave hoping it is discretely enough to go unnoticed but not naïve enough to leave it to chance, the seat she had chosen’s line of sight was covered by a pillar.

 

She should tell Tim.

 

He would do something; he could do something. Help all the souls that, that man hurt.  

 

She was being selfish really, she knew this not wanting Tim to know, taking that step forward would mean there would be no more steps backward, no more hiding.

 

The rose-coloured glasses would come off together and yes she would survive and others would be saved. But ‘them’ the ‘us’ they had created, she wasn’t so sure it would be strong enough.

 

Should she say something? Just this one time could she just keep this one thing to herself?

 

20 minutes later the case was thrown out, she hadn’t returned to her seat but had heard the news in the halls, disappointed but not surprised she walked through to the elevator doors, her hand hesitates over the buttons instinctively wanting to go up, to go get Tim, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t protect herself, it just… doesn’t everyone just get tired of running eventually?

 

Knowing this choice would mean their world crumbling into pieces she goes to ground and leaves quickly, hoping not even a local recognises her.

 

 

Art

 

 

Art Mullin is not stupid.

 

His marshals are his family, some are his brothers, yes some are his unwanted cousins, but some, some are his children, because some still need a goddamn parent.

 

When a child keeps a secret from a parent, a parent always knows. Even when the child thinks they have done a really, really good job at hiding it.

 

And Art would hate to break it to him but Tim had done a pretty shit job at keeping this massive fucking secret.

 

Not only was this going to completely ruin Tim career, but may also screw up the rest of his god-damn! life kind of secret, he didn’t have a problem with the girl, she was probably a fine girl.

 

He wouldn’t know, and what he did know he would withhold judgement.

 

But it’s what she brought with her that was the problem, if they had gotten in front of the issue – changed the story, had written them up as a couple all along.

 

But it was too late, the seeds where planted and now new shite was fertilizing the plants.

 

The photos had arrived on his desks a week ago, even Raylan would have trouble recovering from this and Ray doesn’t have Tim’s record.

 

It’s funny how it doesn’t come up very often, how Tim became a Marshal, rather than a member of SWAT or even a gun for hire.

 

People just assume Tim’s stories are true, the shallow explanations of sign-up sheets or recruiters but it was his relationship with Art, which is why Tim is a Marshal.

 

Art has known Tim since he was 15 years old – not closely, but they knew each other. Tim’s father Lucas Gutterson, was one of Art’s first arrests, he remembers Tim’s wide eyes and silence when he took his farther away.

 

Not once protesting. Just watching.

 

Back then the boy’s face had haunted him for weeks.

 

That’s how they would meet about once a month Art would come and drag Lucas out of the sorry drunken stupor he was in and put him in a holding cell, for some petty crime, he never stayed for long. Over crowding they said. Wasting the tax payer’s dollars by letting him out Art thought back them and wishing he had done more about it, thinking back now.

 

Art would always be the one to drive Tim to the children’s home, they would sometime talk.

 

Sometimes they wouldn’t.

But sometimes they would talk, Art found the easiest way to get Tim to start talking was to talk about books, so nothing has changed really.

 

Even back then he was never far from a faded paperback.

 

Art had very rarely read the ones young Timothy had folded in his back pocket but it always took up most of the car ride Tim explaining the details of the plot to Art, voice crackling like it hadn’t been used since their last drive but the young boy always smiled at his favorited details and for an hour or two lost the haunted look in his eyes.

 

Because that Tim’s big secret, that look that everyone around his thinks he got from war, well he’s had it for longer.

 

Art still sees that boy sometimes, the sadness creeps in and haunts him for days, weeks sometimes, sometimes it gets so bad Art takes Tim home with him makes him eat dinner with him and Leslie, spend time with them. There was a few times Art has even let him get pass out drunk on his couch, at Leslie’s distress he explained ‘at least is where we can take care of him’.

 

But recently the sadness isn’t as frequent, he’s even put on a little weight. He is starting the reminding Art of that kid in the passenger seat of his car all those years ago, the one who’s face lit up when Art told him that he had read Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy – Happiness radiating off his face.

 

At first he had thought Tim had asked the waitress across the road out like Art had told him to. But after a little observation it was clear what or who was making Tim happy.

 

 

 

 

Cassie

 

 

 

 

Seeing the town car in his driveway she keeps driving, knowing that’s the other thing looming over then right now, ‘the incident’ – they don’t really talk about what happened other than that they need to keep ‘them’ a secret and Mark.

 

They talked about Mark.

 

In the early hours of the morning when Tim has shaken himself awake with a memory, he talks about Mark, the good and the bad memories, sometimes it will be as if the memory has just popped into Tim’s memory like the story of the when their company received an over ripe crate of Bananas and Mark ended up with boots filled to the brim with banana mush

_“the smell, Cass the smell, I don’t think he ever ate another banana ever again”_

and other times it was a story that barely moved past Tim’s lips but he clinged to her as he whispered the horrors that bonded them together as brothers.

She never really participated in these moments just facilitated them, held his hand or in those hard moments was something for him to hold onto.

 

Just listening, she is another person to remember Mark, another to ensure he is never forgotten.

 

The town car meant work and work meant she needed to be discreet, so she parked her car around the corner and cuts across Tim’s neighbour Mrs Paoro’s yard

_“I’m so happy he has found a nice girl, we were all getting a bit concerned that maybe he was going a bit odd”,_

she was a particularly nosy woman and Cassie knew she would pay for her actions later.

 

Going through the backdoor she is careful only to let the door make a little noise, to ensure Tim knew she was there but not enough for his guest to realise it was anything other than neighbourhood noise.

 

Once inside the house she could hear them talking, Tim’s college’s voice cutting through the wall’s. It was like being hit by a bullet, hearing the man explain to Tim the consequences of their choices, their collection of lies. What it could mean for Tim, if they got caught. She had heard them before but hearing them out of a stranger’s mount made it harder to swallow.

 

Why couldn’t they just have this, one second of hope. Thinking back to Billy and the comfort he brought to the people who came to see him – that was Billy’s big secret, his talent what every you wanted to call it he provided hope to the hopeless. Right now, her happiness was being infected by hopelessness, and Billy wasn’t here to help, why did he get to help all those other people but when she needed him, it was too late.

 

Taking audible breaths as she quietly unpacks things out of grocery bags, in the back of her mind she knows it will be Tim that ends up cooking but needing something to busy herself with, to stop herself from concentrating on the conversation that is ending loudly outside.

 

Hearing the front screen door swing closed, she braces herself for what is to come. Not knowing what kind of evening they were going to have, Tim was always kind and gentle towards her but somedays the dark clouds inside him came down and he was just impenetrable.

 

Today he was just sadness.

 

Pausing in the doorway of the kitchen looking at her, as if he was in shock that she was there, like he had imagined the noises she had made, a small smile appeared of his face _“Hey”._

 

****

Raylan

 

 

 

 

_“Hey Art, yeah I spoke to him…_

_…no he’s not going to budge on this... Thinks it’s too late…”_

_“…No, No! I didn’t tell him about the photos… fuck Art, no or the case, no I don’t think he knows. I think the whole lying to us is eating him up…”_

_“…I think it would be better coming from you or Rachel, hell even Vasquez, but me I’m the guy he wants to fight… yeah well I put my toe in that water and he went to cut off my whole fucking leg...”_

_“…yeah ok, night Art.”_

_“Fuck”_

 

 

   

 

Tim

 

 

 

 

Sitting on the kitchen island watching Cass go back and forth from fridge to bench, he had tried to help but they had soon decided that he had, had too much to drink.

 

He was content to watch her anyway, enjoying these little moments while they lasted.

 

He hadn’t said anything but he had, had the house appraised last week. Slowly organising for its sale. Knowing if this was going to continue, things would need to change.

 

 He could feel his smile grow bigger, unable to control it, taking pleasure in the fact he was going to beat Raylan in getting out of Kentucky.

 

She wasn’t ready to talk about it, She would get there. In the end, they would both get used to it.

 

He loved this house, he had basically built it, but now was the moment to move on.

 

He slips off the counter and moves behind her, as she chops vegetables, his hands creeping up her sides, kissing he neck he could feel he smile against him.

 

 _“how ‘bout we go away after this is all over”_ he speaks into her ear while giving the zip on the back on her dress a thorough once over _“just to take a break”_ his right hand starts to slowly to lower the zip, while the left grabs a handful of the hem bunching it in the opposite direction of the zip. Finishing chopping and placing the knife of the cutting board her hand joins his full of skirt on her hip, she turns her face to meet his.

 

_“Ok I’ll play, where would we go?”_

 

Looking her straight in the eye while lifting his left eyebrow at the notion of this discussion was hypothetical, his right hand having now having finished it job takes its place on Cassie’s other hip, moving his face away from hers and nuzzling the now free opening at the back of her dress, he begins to kiss down he back.

 

_“I’m serious, and I don’t know this wasn’t a plan thought, think about it. Just you and me… anywhere you want”_

He is starting to realise is he a little drunker than he thought as Cassie’s dress is starting to confuse him, he is on his knees with her back facing him and he swears normally at this point they are normally down to underwear, if not naked, but he can’t help but notice they are both still fully clothed.

 

_What move did he forget?_

 

Pausing he lets his hands fall as he feels her turn towards him, not wanting to lose momentum he uses the moment to his advantage, he moves with her taking her dress with him as he stands. Cassie gives an unexpected shout at his sudden quick movement but is smiling when her face is revealed.

 

 _“Tim”_ he feels her arms pull him in.

 

Cutting her off _“just think about where, ok. For me”_. Fully accepting the embrace now, he tucks his face in the crook of her neck and takes a solid breath, knowing that wherever she picks the trip will be extended indefinitely and it won’t be stateside.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! PLEASE let me know your thoughts, I do have a plan and I am slowly finding my footing with these characters but I would love to know what you guys think should happen (you may change my mind). 
> 
> I would love to hear from you, please press review!


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